Abstract: A bistable member including a bistable, invertable dish- or dome-shaped base portion and an engaging projection extending therefrom. A male member is engaged with the bistable member by pressing the male member against a central apex of the bistable member that is surrounded by the engaging projection, thereby inverting the bistable member from a first stable form to a second stable form. In the second stable form, the engaging protrusion and a portion of the bistable member wrap around a knob of the male member, thereby securing the male member to the bistable member. A subsequently applied triggering energy re-inverts the bistable member, thereby releasing the male member. This assembly is usable as a snap fastener by setting an equilibrium point of the bistable member such that a relatively large triggering energy is required to re-invert the bistable member.

Abstract: The engine operating angle at which a determined fuel injection quantity is delivered to the engine is varied in accord with barometric pressure variations to compensate an engine air-fuel mixing time to offset variations in air-fuel mixture homogeneity prior to combustion, promoting complete combustion, increased engine performance, increased catalytic converter efficiency and durability over a wide range of barometric pressure values.

Abstract: In an industrial dust collector comprising a gas intake dirty air chamber, a filtration clean air chamber, and a set of fabric filter bags mounted within the filtration chamber with the bag interiors in fluid communication with the gas intake chamber having a system for cleaning the filtration chamber which includes a venturi in fluid communication with both chambers to effect cleaning of the collector. A method of cleaning the filtration chamber of an industrial dust collector having fabric filter bags mounted within a filtration chamber with the bag interiors in fluid communication with a gas intake chamber is disclosed comprising the steps of evacuating dust from the filtration chamber and directing the evacuated dust into the gas intake chamber.

Abstract: A bag for forming into a quilted article is produced by pleating two sections of material and by feeding pairs of the folded edges thus formed through respective work stations, each pair comprising one edge from each section and the two edges from each pair being fed side by side and simultaneously through the respective station. At each station, the longitudinal edges of a respective strip of flexible material are simultaneously secured to the respective pair of folded edges so as to produce elongate quilting pockets. Apparatus for producing the bag has a plurality of the work stations, means for folding the sections of material, guides which receive the material from the folding means and feed means which co-operate with the guides to feed the folded edges of each pair side by side and simultaneously to the respective work station. The feed means also serve to draw the strips of flexible material from supports for these strips and through the respective work stations.